A blog about military retirement and transition to civilian life.

Tag Archives: Transition

There used to be a time when the decision to leave the military was pretty much up to the service member. For those of us currently on active duty, we all know that’s not necessarily the case these days. With looming budget and personnel cuts on the horizon, it’s becoming clear that no service member is exempt from the possibility of facing an involuntary separation, regardless of rank or position.

Over the last few years, all of the services have instituted personnel retention boards to help trim the force. The reality is that thousands of service members will either choose or be asked to leave the military in the very near future. The oncoming surge of veterans seeking employment will undoubtedly have a profound impact on the U.S. job market for years to come. In light of this, constant planning and preparation throughout our military careers will need to become the new norm if we want to be successful in our inevitable transition to civilian life.

While the decision to leave the military may, or may not, be in our hands anymore, we do control how we plan and prepare for life after the military. In future postings I’ll address a variety of topics and issues pertaining to military transition. I’m by no means an expert on this topic, but it’s my sincere hope that this will become a useful resource and help spur discussion among service members approaching their transition to civilian life.